Flow-controlling device for flushing-tanks.



PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

F. ALLEN.

PLOW CONTROLLING DEVIGE FOR FLUSHING TANKS.

APPLIOATION FILE MAY 13, 1907.

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FRANKLIN ALLEN, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLOW-CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR FLUSHING- TANKS.

4 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1908.

Application filed May 13, 1907. Serial No. 373,226.

lb all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Flow-Controlling Devices for Flushing-Tanks, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In household plumbing it is common to use a flushing tank provided with an outlet valve in operative connection with a lever, from the outer end of which hangs a chain that is grasped and pulled upon whenever a flow of water is desired. In simple arrange-- ments which have been in use for some time past, the valve is kept open, and the flow of water continues, only so long as the pull upon the chain continues. There are other well-known arrangements, some of them working on the principle of a siphon so that after the flow once has been started it continues until the lowering of the level of the Water in the tank permits air to enter the siphon and destroy its suction. There also are arrangements involving modifications of the dash-pot principle and operating to occasion a prolonged flow after the flowonce has been started.

The present invention is in the nature of an attachment designed for application to flushing arrangements of the class in which the flow continues only while the pull is maintained, and the purpose of the invention is to enable such an arrangement to be converted readily and inexpensively into one1 operating on the sustained flow princ1p e.

The invention consists in the attachment of improved and novel character and construction which I will now proceed to describe with reference to the drawings, in which latter,-Figure 1 is an isometric projection of a flushing tank with an embodiment of the invention applied thereto, a portion of the tank being broken away in order to show parts within the tank. Fig. 2 is a similar projection showing separately a modified form of the attachment.

Having reference to the drawings,--at A is shown a tank, at B an inlet-valve, at C a float within the tank, and at D the rod or wire to which the float is attached and which is connected with the movable member or .plug of valve B for the purpose of operating the said member or plug to control the in- I flow of water.

At E is the outlet-valve controlling the outflow of water through an outlet at the bottom of the tank, at F a casing within which the said outlet-valve is guided, at G a connector having its lower end joined to the valve E, at II an operating lever to theinwardly projecting arm of which the up er end of the said connector is joined, at I a supporting stand or bracket that is attached to one side-wall of the tank, it serving as a pivotal support for the operating lever, and at J achain which is attached by one end to the outwardly projecting arm of operating lever H, the said chain having a handle or pull K attached to its lower end.

As thus far referred to, the parts are substantially as usual. In practice, the said parts will be found to vary more or less in character, construction, and arrangement, in the case of different flushing-tanks.

The invention comprises, essentially, an improved latching or catch arrangement designed to engage with the operating lever after the latter has been moved to open the outlet-valve, and detain the said lever and valve in the position which has been given to them until the flow has continued to the predetermined extent, the latch or catch being then tripped by the descent of the float C, whereupon the outlet-valve is per mitted to close. Especial aims of the invention are to provide a simple and durable construction, free from liability to get out of order, capable of application to flushing tanks of various makes, forms, and proportions which already are in use, and readily adjustable to suit the disposition of the working parts of the said tanks and to regulate the action.

In conformity with the invention I provide a supporting-rod 1 which is applied to the top of the tank, and extends from the top of one side-wall to the other thereof. It is formed at one end with an eye 1 and such end is secured to the corresponding wall of the tank by means of a screw 2. The other end of the supporting-rod is confined in place upon the top of the opposite wall by means of a keeper which, in the present instance, is constituted by a staple 3 driven into the said wall. This end is left straight, and in making the rod it is given a length equal to or greater than the Widest tank to which it is expected to have to apply the attachment. In making ready for applying the latter the surplus length is cut off. Upon the said supporting rod I mount a block 4 serving as a carrier for the latch and its operating arm. To enable the said block to be adjusted transversely of the tank into a position properly corresponding with that of the operating lever, the block is bored or otherwise formed with an opening 4* therethrough suitable to receive the supportingrod, and in assembling the parts it is slipped upon the said rod. The block is secured in place upon the supporting-rod at the required point in the width of the tank by means of a clamping screw 5, which is fitted to a threaded hole that is tapped in the block, the said screw making contact by its inner end with the surface of the supporting-rod. The block is bored transversely to provide a bearing for the journal of the latch or latching device. The latch or latching device in Fig. 1 comprises a wire or rod which is bent to form the arms 6 and 6 and the intermediate journal portion 6. The said j ournal-portion works in the bearing which is provided, as aforesaid, in the block. The arm 6' is screwthreaded. It has ap lied thereto the engaging member, preferab fy constituted by nut 7, and the check-nut 7 The said engaging member or nut 7 is designed to pass in under the inner arm of the operating lever H after the latter has been moved or turned by a pull upon the chain J, and by engagement with the under edge of the said arm it will detain the operating lever in the position to which it has been turned, holding thereby the outlet-valve in its open position. The said arm 6 normally extends up alongside the inner arm of the operating lever, and the nut 7 and check-nut 7 rest against one side of the said lever. To hold the arm 6 pressed toward the operating'lever normally, and to cause the latch or latching device to turn so as to carry the latching nut 7 in under the operating lever as soon as the latter has been swung far enough to carry the under edge of its inner arm above the nut 7, a contracting spiral spring 8 is connected with the latching device, by engagin one extremity thereof with the arm 6 and tire other extremity with the supporting-rod 1. The arm 6* extends into position to be engaged by the float-wire or rod D, so that as the tank empties and the float descends the contact of the float-rod or wire with the said arm shall operate to cause the latching device to turn and disengage the nut 7 from the operating lever, and leave the latter free to turn so as to permit the outletvalve to close. The time of unlatching may be varied at will by varying the angle of the arms ('3 and 6 with relation to each other, so

as to cause arm 6 to be encountered earlier or later, as may be desired, in the descent of the float-rod or wire. This adjustment is effected in the case of the construction of Fig. 1 by bending the Wire or rod of which the said arms are portions.

In Fig. 2 the latching-arm 6 is formed as a separate piece, and is formed with an internally threaded hole to fit the journal-portion 6, which is correspondingly threaded, a check-nut 6 being screwed upon the said j ournal-portion to lock the arm in place. The arm 6 is formed with a longitudinal slot 6 for the stem of the clamping-screw 6 by which the latching piece 6 is secured to the arm. For the purpose of adjusting the position of the arm 6 to vary the time of the engagement of the float-rod or wire therewith in the descent of the float, the arm 6 may be shifted angularly upon the journal-portion of the latch or latching device, and held fast thereon in the new position by setting up the check-nut 6 I claim as my invention 1. In a flow-controlling device for flushing tanks, in combination, the supporting-rod adapted to be secured across the top of a tank, a block having a transverse bearing, and also having a hole to receive the said supporting-rod, and fitted on the latter, means to adjustably secure the block upon the rod in the required position lengthwise of the lat ter, and the latch or latching device having the j ournal-portion fitted to the said transverse bearing, the detent-arm adapted to engage the operating lever of the outlet-valve, and the disengaging arm adapted for engagement with the fioat-rod or wire.

2. In a flow-controlling device for flushing tanks, in combination, the supporting-rod adapted to be secured across the top of a tank, a block having a transverse bearing, and also having a hole to receive the said supportingrod, and fitted on the latter, means to adjustably secure the block upon the rod in the required position lengthwise of the latter, and the latch or latching device having the j ournal-portion fitted to the said transverse bearing, the detent-arm adapted to engage the operating lever of the outlet-valve, and

the disengaging arm adapted for engagement with the float rod or wire, the said arms being relatively adjustable angularly to enable the time of disengagement to be varied.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN ALLEN. 

